Everything I Know...http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything
Everything I Know...Mon, 25 Nov 2013 05:52:53 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.1The Headstonehttp://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/the-headstone-2/
http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/the-headstone-2/#commentsSat, 29 Sep 2012 03:10:59 +0000http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/?p=778James Collins passes away on March 14, 1903, about one year after the death of his wife, Elizabeth. They are laid to rest at Tavera Cemetery in Richwood Township.
]]>http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/the-headstone-2/feed/01900 US Censushttp://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/1900-us-census-collins/
http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/1900-us-census-collins/#commentsSat, 29 Sep 2012 03:02:53 +0000http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/?p=772It’s quiet for the next twenty years until we find James Collins in the 1900 US Census where he is still living in Richwood Township, Richland County in southwestern Wisconsin.

He is now listed as a merchant, trading in his overalls at some point since 1880. It is now just him and his wife Elizabeth, though his daughter Mary is also living in the household with her daughter, James’ granddaughter, Mable. This census also lists the same birth information as the last two, showing Indiana and the birthplace of his parents as Maryland and Delaware.

]]>http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/1900-us-census-collins/feed/01880 US Censushttp://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/1880-us-census-3/
http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/1880-us-census-3/#commentsSat, 29 Sep 2012 02:52:50 +0000http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/?p=766The next place we find James Collins is in the 1880 US Census. He is still living in Richwood Township, Richland County in southwestern Wisconsin.

He is still working as a farmer. He now has 5 children living with him and his wife Elizabeth, including my wife’s great-grandfather, Albert. This census also lists his birth place as Indiana and lists the birthplace of his parents as Maryland and Delware.

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http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/1870-us-census-3/#commentsSat, 29 Sep 2012 02:43:16 +0000http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/?p=761The next place we find James Collins is in the 1870 US Census. He is now living in Richwood Township, Richland County which is located in southwestern Wisconsin.

He is listed as a farmer, owning $2000 worth of land. He now has 4 children with his wife Elizabeth. This census also lists his birth place as Indiana.

]]>http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/1870-us-census-3/feed/0The Civil Warhttp://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/the-civil-war-2/
http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/the-civil-war-2/#commentsFri, 28 Sep 2012 03:34:39 +0000http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/?p=754A fact about James that I did not know until recently is that he participated in the Civil War. On his headstone, it is noted that he was part of “Co. K 6th Wis. Reg.” I was able to find some information on his enlistment.

He looked to join somewhat late in the war around the end of September 1864, while the 6th Regiment had organized back in 1861 and had already fought many battles. According to a history on the 6th Regiment, I can only guess that he may have been drafted to help replace killed or deserted men after a few rough battles.

In December [1864], John Kellogg is promoted Colonel and returns to the regiment with four hundred and fifty drafted men to fill the ranks. Winter Quarters are established for the fourth time. During the month of January, the regiment performs picket, camp and fatigue duty, builds roads and drills continually to bring the new men up to speed.

He looks to have been active in a few more battles, including Gravelly Run (general location on the map tab), before the end of the war in 1865 and, fortunately, he made it back alive.

]]>http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/the-civil-war-2/feed/0The Marriagehttp://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/the-marriage-4/
http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/the-marriage-4/#commentsThu, 27 Sep 2012 04:21:52 +0000http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/?p=733That next record I happened to run across is what is probably the marriage record between James Collins and his wife, Elizabeth Enyart/Engart. Though, it was in an unexpected place, Missouri. This is where my previous research had become “compromised” because I found a James Collins in that area previous to the marriage which went against the original James Collins I found in the 1860 Census. The marriage lines up better than the previous info, so that’s my primary line of research at the moment.

It says they were married on November 4th, 1860 in Scotland County, Missouri.

The source image is very hard to read, but on the top record at the left you can see what looks like Jas Collins and Elisabeth Enyart.

]]>http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/the-marriage-4/feed/01860 US Censushttp://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/1860-us-census-3/
http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/1860-us-census-3/#commentsThu, 27 Sep 2012 04:00:47 +0000http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/?p=742The 1860 Census is the one that I think sent me on the wrong trail. I see today that many people still have James’ parents from the “wrong” record listed as his family. This new record I found matches up much better, so I’m more sure it’s this James.

He is living in 1860 in Miller, Scotland County, Missouri. This is in the same county that he married Elisabeth Enyart, which helps the case. Not only that, in the census record he is living with Elisabeth (age 15) and her family, helping her father as a farm hand. Her parents were Nelson and Margaret (Kearns) Enyart (though it looks like “Inard” in the record.)

The previous record I had on file was one from Iowa where there was a James A Collins of the exact same age and birthplace, but James can’t be in two places at once. This new record from Missouri lines up much better. But now I do not know anything about James’ parents.

]]>http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/1860-us-census-3/feed/0Who is James Collins?http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/jamescollins/
http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/jamescollins/#commentsThu, 27 Sep 2012 03:40:08 +0000http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/?p=725One of the few things I’m not entirely sure about James Collins is his birth and where he came from. First off, the name “James Collins” isn’t exactly what you’d call unique. Even the census records can’t keep it straight. I have found his birth location to be everything from Iowa to Ohio to Indiana. According to his headstone, he was born January 28th, 1836.

My wife is connected to Mr. Collins through her paternal grandmother, Barbara Collins. Previously, I had his parents marked down, but recent research indicates that I may have been following the wrong path, so I disconnected that line for now until I can get a clearer picture, which I hope this site will do for me.

]]>http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/jamescollins/feed/0The Headstonehttp://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/the-headstone/
http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/the-headstone/#commentsSun, 12 Feb 2012 21:29:39 +0000http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/?p=703This is another item I spent a long time trying to track down. Union Cemetery in Port Washington isn’t that large, but a lot of the older headstones are obviously harder to read. I actually didn’t know if John was even buried there since there are other cemeteries in the city. I had some help from the Port Washington Historical Society that let me know that he is recorded as being buried there. They gave me a general area to look since their older records weren’t very accurate.

I remember looking and looking, but not finding anything. Then, when I was there around Memorial Day, I spied a small, white headstone with a Civil War veteran sign in the ground near it. I took a closer look at the old, worn headstone and noticed it said what looked like “Co. K” on it. I brushed it off and looked closer and saw that it read, “JHO. LAST – CO. K – 50TH WIS INF.” There it is. Johann’s final resting place.

A side note, I still have yet to find his wife, Charlotte’s, burial location. The Historical Society says that she should be right near him, but there is nothing. Though, there is a small gap in the area where she may be buried, but there is no stone. She died in 1900.

]]>http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/the-headstone/feed/0John’s Deathhttp://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/johns-death/
http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/johns-death/#commentsSun, 12 Feb 2012 21:19:40 +0000http://www.zalewskifamily.net/everything/?p=698For the longest time, I had no idea when John Last died. All of a sudden he just disappears from the census records. I know he didn’t die in the Civil War since he is back with his family in 1870. Then, I came across this listing of headstones that were donated to war veterans. In it, I found John Last’s entry with his death date, August 14, 1872.

His cause of death is listed as “Inflammation” on other records. Inflammation can be caused by things such as frostbite or even wounds. Two things he could have easily received during his tenure in the Dakota Territory during the Civil War.